Methodists, American Idol, ‘yahoos’: Down in Alabama

I’m not sure who the PETA president was thinking about when she said the Flora-Bama’s Mullet Toss has a “yahoo stigma,” but I’ve never throwed a single mullet so I guess I’m in the clear.

Oh, I’ve smoked a few. But never throwed one.

Read on for clarity on that and much more. (Below is the podcast player followed by the newsletter.)

Remaining UMCs

The United Methodists General Conference is taking place today through May 3 in Charlotte, N.C., reports AL.com’s Greg Garrison.

It’s the denomination’s first general conference since 2019 and its first since most Alabama congregations left the United Methodist Church over its possible direction on same-sex marriage and the ordaining of openly gay clergy.

Greg’s sources, including the Rev. Kelly Clem, who is a retired minister for the North Alabama Conference, said priorities over the next couple weeks include removing anti-homosexual language and revising the Social Principles.

American Idol’s Alabama teens

Two Alabama teenagers have made it into the Top 10 on “American Idol,” reports AL.com’s Lawrence Specker.

19-year-old Mia Matthews of Centre performed MIranda Lambert’s “Over You,” and 15-year-old Triston Harper of McIntosh performed Luke Combs’ “Beautiful Crazy” during Monday night’s round to advance.

They will sing again Sunday night on ABC.

Rubber mullet

PETA has taken a shot at the Flora-Bama Mullet Toss, reports AL.com’s Warren Kulo.

And I don’t mean somebody from PETA attempted the tradition. I mean they don’t like it. But they did have an idea for a replacement: They want the Flora-Bama owners to use rubber fish and have the event catered by PETA, which would serve “tasty vegan fish sandwiches.”

Which raises the question: What does one use as bait to catch a vegan fish?

For the uncultured, The Mullet Toss & Greatest Beach Party is a decades-old event in which thousands of people show up, mullet are thrown across the nearby Florida-Alabama state line, and more than $100,000 is raised for local charities. Mullet are plentiful along the Gulf Coast and are commonly used as cut bait or as food, usually fried or smoked. The deceased mullet that are tossed at the Flora-Bama end up feeding animals at Alligator Alley or the Gulf Coast Zoo.

PETA President Ingrid Newkirk wrote in a letter to Flora-Bama co-owner John McInnis that the Mullet Toss has a “certain yahoo stigma.”

And she apparently meant that in a negative way.

More Alabama news

Born on this date

In 1818, former Gov. John Gill Shorter. He was in office as the Civil War broke out but lost reelection in 1863.

In, 1894 boogie-woogie and bluesman Charles “Cow Cow” Davenport of Anniston.

In 1945, Actor and musician Francois Clemmons of Birmingham. He played Officer Clemmons on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.

In 1974, former NFL wide receiver Joey Kent of Huntsville.

Quiz results

Here are the answers and how we did on the most recent Week in Review Quiz:

The State of Alabama purchased what last week?

The Foley Beach Express Bridge (CORRECT) 95.1%
The Montgomery Biscuits 2.1%
Perdido Key 2.1%
Three CBD distributors 0.7%

Two newborns were recently at the same Alabama hospital (born to couple who did not know each other) with the following first and middle names:

Johnny Cash and June Carter (CORRECT) 88.0%
Barack Obama and Michelle Obama 4.9%
Jim Halpert and Pam Beasley 4.2%
Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter 2.8%

Republic Airways announced that a future LIFT Academy pilot training school will be in this Alabama city.

Tuskegee (CORRECT) 78.9%
Montgomery 9.9%
Enterprise 7.7%
Gadsden 3.5%

These two people put their support behind a failed attempt to make the ban on judicial override (in death-penalty cases) retroactive.

Don Siegelman and Robert Bentley (CORRECT) 83.8%
Rick Burgess and Bill “Bubba” Bussey 11.3%
Nick Saban and Gene Chizik 2.8%
Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks 2.1%

On Sept. 28-29, the new South Star Music Festival will come to this Alabama city.

Huntsville (CORRECT) 67.6%
Tuscaloosa 12.7%
Dothan 12.0%
Andalusia 7.7%

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